eSpotlight – 50th Anniversary of the First Moon Landing

One Giant Leap

Saturday, July 20, is the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11's moon landing, when Neil Armstrong uttered those now famous words "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." I've always been fascinated by NASA's early space program that aimed to fulfill President John F. Kennedy's goal of "landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth" by the end of the 1960s. If you've always wanted to learn more about this fascinating time in US history, we've got you covered with plenty of eBooks and online resources.

eBooks and eAudiobooks

Here are just a few of the eBooks available on history of the early NASA space programs:

American Moonshot by Douglas Brinkley
Apollo 11: The Moon Landing in Real Time by Ian Passingham
Moon Shot by Alan Shepard & Deke Slayton
Spaceshots and Snapshots of Projects Mercury and Gemini
Moonshots & Snapshots of Project Apollo
Footprints in the DustOf a Fire on the Moon
Digital Apollo
The Apollo Missons by David Baker
Apollo: A Graphic Guide to Mankind's Greatest Mission by Zack Scott
Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon by Jeffrey Kluger
Milestones of Space by Michael J. Neufeld


And how about a look at the women who helped us get to the moon. They may not have walked on the moon, but we wouldn't have made it there without them.

Rise of the Rocket Girls by Nathalia Holt
Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
The Astronaut Wives Club
A Computer Called Katherine by Suzanne Slade
Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream by Tanya Lee Stone
Galaxy Girls: 50 Amazing Stories of Women in Space


And we've even got some eAudiobooks available:

A Man on the Moon by Andrew ChaikinFailure is Not an OptionFirst Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong by James R. HansenNo Dream is Too HighNeil Armstrong: A Life of FlightNPR American Chronicles: Exploring Space


We choose to go to the moon

You can learn more about the NASA, space exploration, and the missions to the moon using some of the library's excellent eResources. You'll need your library card to log in to access these topics:

In addition to articles, there are some excellent images, videos, and audio available, including John F. Kennedy's "We choose to go the moon" speech at Rice University and a video clip for the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing featuring Neil Armstrong's first steps on the moon.

Or if you want to learn more about the astronauts themselves or the people who worked tirelessly behind the scenes at NASA, you can find biographies available with our eResources. Here are just a few examples:

For Younger Readers

Here are just a few of the eBooks for young readers looking to learn more about the moon landings and the early space program:

Eight Days Gone
Team Moon by Catherine Thimmesh
The First Men Who Went to the Moon by Rhonda Gowler Greene & Scott Brundage
Moon Mission by Sigmund Brouwer
To the Moon by Jeffrey Kluger
Earthrise
Daring Dozen: The Twelve Who Walked on the Moon by Suzanne Slade
The Apollo Missions for Kids by Jerome Pohlen
Who Was Neil Armstrong?
Moon Landing


Films and Documentaries

In addition to all those great eBooks and eAudiobooks, there are also a few documentaries available from Hoopla:

The Last Man on the Moon
Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo
Direct From the Moon
Apollo 8: Christmas at the Moon
Apollo 12: Uncensored
Apollo 13: The Untold Story
Moonwalkers: The Men of Apollo
Project Gemini: Bridge to the Moon


Bonus Favorites

A few of my favorite books and films aren't available in eBook or eMovie format, but you can request copies to be delivered to the library branch of your choice if you'd like to try any of these as well:

Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11The Right Stuff by Tom WolfeRocket Men by Robert KursonFlight: My Life in Mission ControlIn the Shadow of the MoonApollo 13


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